


Magic

by bostghuster



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Fluff, Other, also there's just a light dusting of kbdn because i love these boys, but its never too late for cheesy xmas fics, gender neutral reader, look i know it's almost mid january, nessa loves her nerdy gf, this is all fluff gdi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28664613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bostghuster/pseuds/bostghuster
Summary: You nodded, your closed fists twitching in your pockets as Nessa took Sonia’s hand. Romantic was definitely a word for it, though it might’ve not been the right word you were looking for. It would be way more romantic if you had a certain someone to share it with…You just have to get through your least favourite day of the year, and it should be relatively painless, right?But it seems like fate has something else in mind for you this year.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan, Nezu | Piers (Pokemon)/Reader, Rurina | Nessa/Sonia
Comments: 8
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

Nessa groaned into her hands, dragging her long fingers down her face in mock agony.

“Babe, you’re on holiday time now. Can’t you leave your gear here for at least one evening?”

“Technically my holiday time doesn’t start until tomorrow!” Sonia called out from under her desk, her fiery red ponytail bobbing up and down as she looked for whatever she was looking for.

“Plus, the Delibird Migration is a rare phenomenon that only happens once a year!” she announced as she rose with a book in her hands, her glasses slightly askew and her green eyes shining, “I can’t pass up an opportunity like this for some up-close observations!”

Nessa rolled her eyes at you. You tried to stifle your grin behind the back of your hand so Sonia wouldn’t see; after all, she was technically your boss.

Or, rather, you were her intern. You’ve been working under Sonia as a prerequisite of your university course, and though you weren’t earning much money, the experience itself was proving to be fascinating. And rewarding; you thoroughly enjoyed working with Sonia, and meeting her girlfriend Nessa was certainly a treat, as the two of you got along swimmingly. Occasionally Sonia’s old friend’s younger brother Hop came by the lab to help, and you simply adored him. His bright smile and never-ending energy were enough to bring the sunshine indoors, which helped especially now in the early weeks of winter.

Luckily, Sonia wasn’t paying attention to either of you, flitting around the lab and stuffing random pencils and notebooks into her bag. Nessa was growing impatient, as made clearly by her firmly crossed arms and the toe of her designer boots tapping against the tiled floor.

“We’re going to miss the entire migration unless you get your butt in gear!” she warned, as Sonia zipped past you, muttering to herself about something else she needed.

“Okay, okay,” Sonia said, grabbing one more instrument from atop a cabinet and shoving it into her bag with the rest of equipment she’d collected. She turned with a big smile and bounded towards you and Nessa. “Think I’m pretty much ready now.”

Nessa reached for her girlfriend’s hand. “You’d better be,” she said as she leaned in to press a quick kiss to Sonia’s cheek, “because the Taxi’s already outside.”

“Oh!”

You couldn’t help but smile as you followed your friends outside before you froze. You were so busy waiting for Sonia, you forgot to grab something of your own.

“Hold on for a second!” you called out before turning tail and hurrying back inside. You could feel Nessa and Sonia’s eyes on your back, and you heard Nessa let out a groan. Sonia giggled, but her laughter was cut off by the heavy door closing behind you.

You sprinted to your desk, pulling open a drawer and lifted a loose folder. Underneath was a small wrapped package, topped with a small white bow.

You grabbed the package, looking at it for a brief moment before placing it carefully in your bag. Your heartbeat loud, you bumped the drawer shut with your hip, turned around, and booked it back out the door, stopping to lock up the lab before leaping into the Flying Taxi cab.

“All good?” Sonia asked you, “Everything all locked up?”

You nodded, trying not to breathe too heavily as Sonia gave you a nod of affirmation before returning her attention to the book in her lap.

The Taxi rose into the air, small snowflakes soaring past the windows as your little group took off into a darkening sky. Even with Sonia’s delaying, you still managed to leave Wedgehurst just as the sun was setting. You should reach Wyndon within the hour, with plenty of time before the great Delibird migration.

The Delibird Migration truly was a sight to see. It was only once a year, usually within the first weeks of winter, when an enormous flock of Delibirds would soar overhead. It was considered a huge event, in any region, and part of the reason why it was so alluring was that there wasn’t really an explanation why. The Delibirds didn’t just go due south like most other Flying Pokemon migrations; they went wherever the wind would take them.

You shifted in your seat, the small package bumping against your leg through the fabric of your bag. You avoided Nessa’s knowing gaze as you forced yourself to look out the window at the passing snow covered trees. You hated that she knew your intentions, though you thought you were always good at keeping that information private.

See, Sonia was close friends with the region’s old champion (and Hop’s brother) Leon, and as a result was friends with most of the Gym Leaders as well. Nessa was a regular visitor to the lab, being Sonia’s girlfriend, but it wasn’t uncommon for Hammerlocke’s Leader Raihan or Turrfield’s Milo to show up unannounced. Even the new Champion Gloria has made an appearance more than once, but it was the one time that she had brought a couple of guests along with her that really changed your life.

You were just finishing up a long, long day of proofreading your own and Sonia’s reports when Gloria stopped by to say hello, pulling a young woman her age with an undercut and striking blue eyes behind her.

“Hope you don’t mind if Marnie and her brother hang out here for a sec, we were just on our way back from the Slumbering Wield—”

But you failed to hear the rest of her sentence when you turned around and slammed into a tall, thin body that had somehow appeared behind you. You lost your balance, papers flying out of your arms as you started to fall backwards. You braced yourself for the worst-- 

But the worst never arrived. A pair of lithe but strong arms caught you before you hit the floor, pulling you back onto your feet.

“Ah, shit, ‘m so sorry,” a deep voice with a different accent surprised you. You opened your eyes to meet the same striking eyes as Marnie, but these belonged to a young man with unusual black and white hair. A thin, lanky, pale, strangely handsome young man.

“Geez, Piers, watch where yer goin’ next time,” Marnie called over from Sonia’s desk.

The man – Piers - looked over, shooting her a glare.

You nervously cleared your throat, as you found yourself still in Piers’ arms.

Piers looked at you.

“Shit,” he muttered again, letting go of you so quick you almost fell again, “Sorry, sorry.”

“I-it’s okay!” You said, laughing nervously before you noticed your reports laying in a disheveled heap all over the tiled floor.

“Ah, fuck,” you couldn’t help but mutter, your overtired state overcoming your professional front as you knelt to gather the day’s hard work. Guess the day wasn’t over yet…

Your comment must’ve taken Piers by surprise, because he let slip a laugh. You looked up at him, all but glaring as he knelt beside you.

“Sorry,” he apologized again, grinning as he handed you a few papers, “Just wasn’t expectin’ the academic type to have such a sailor’s mouth.”

You couldn’t help but smile as you took the papers from him. “You should hear Sonia when she gets stuck.”

He smiled at you, and you felt an unusual pang in your chest. It was that moment when you started developing feelings for the man, and once you learned he was a musician from Spikemuth you knew that you were a goner.

You only saw Piers maybe three more times since then, once more at the lab and a couple times when Sonia had invited you out to partake in gatherings with her friends. You never really spoke much during these gatherings, unless someone asked you a question directly. You kept yourself entertained instead by watching Piers out of the corner of your eye – though he was no longer a Gym Leader he was always invited to these events, not that you were complaining. He was like you, in a sense; never really participating in conversations unless prompted. The look on his face was never disinterested, but rather placid, and you had a difficult time tearing your eyes away from him.

The last time you saw him, however, was when Nessa caught you staring at Piers during a conversation. And it was the fact that her knowledgeable expression only deepened when your cheeks flushed pink after getting caught that made you feel like you just got busted doing something you weren’t supposed to.

Though, you must admit, when she leaned in to give you a hug goodnight and whispered in your ear that Piers was single, you decided that maybe it was okay that Nessa knew after all.

You were brought back to the present when said Gym Leader nudged your foot.

“Huh?”

“I asked if you were going to see your family at all during Delfest?” Nessa asked you.

Your heart sank, but you shrugged your sadness off.

“No, they’re busy doing their thing in Sinnoh.”

That was the basic excuse you always gave. The Delibird Festival, or Delfest as people have come to call it, was a celebration of the Delibird Migration. Since Delibirds were well known for carrying objects to give out as gifts, it’s become something of a tradition for humans to do the same. It’s supposed to be this wonderful time of year when, after the migration flew past, families would gather, share a meal, exchange gifts, and just enjoy the time spent together.

Delfest never worked out that way for you, though. It’s not that your relationship with your parents was… terrible, but they were always so busy with their careers that growing up, you had to spend most Delfests alone. As soon as you were old enough, you hopped on a plane to literally anywhere to get away from your disappointing parents and their career-driven lives. So far, your year studying in Galar had been great, but as soon as the first snow fell and Delfest decorations started appearing in store windows and on lampposts, your clenched jaw and tight chest just got worse and worse as the days went on. You buried yourself in your work to keep you distracted, but your plan to dive into complicated projects over the Delfest season was derailed when Sonia announced that she would be closing the lab down for a week to take a well-deserved break to spend time with her grandmother, and that you were to take the week off as well.

“No exceptions,” she’d wiggled her finger at you to silence your protests, “You’ve been pushing yourself too hard. Rest is just as important as work, and trust me, you need it as much as I do.”

So now, here you are, in a Flying Taxi with your two closest friends in Galar, on your way to Wyndon City to experience a true Galarian-style Delfest.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Sonia tilted her head, looking at you sadly, “You’re more than welcome to spend it with me and my gran if you like.”

“That’s okay, I’m used to spending Delfest alone,” you reply, reassuring her with a smile. And that was the truth; you’d already planned on spending the night watching your favourite movies and treating yourself to takeout from your favourite restaurant. All in all, this was probably the first time you were actually looking forward to Delfest.

Nessa sighed, folding her arms across her chest.

“I sometimes wish I could spend Delfest alone,” she said, a note of bitterness in her voice, “It gets so chaotic at my mam’s when all my siblings and I come home for the holidays.”

“You always say that,” Sonia said, brushing a dreadlock out of Nessa’s face before leaning in to give her a peck on the cheek, “but then you always tell me about all the fun you have with your brothers and sisters.”

You smiled as Nessa and Sonia continued to discuss Nessa’s chaotic family gatherings; your hand absentmindedly nudging the little package in your bag. Your heart skipped a beat.

It was a little something you got for Piers. You didn’t even know if you would see him at the Delfest celebrations in Wyndon tonight, but you decided to chance fate and bring it along anyways. It wasn’t anything impressive, just a little something that made you think of him when you saw it while shopping in town.

 _Maybe this will be the year that my luck with Delfest finally shifts for the better,_ you thought, not daring to get your hopes up.

But still, there were such things as Delfest miracles…


	2. Chapter 2

An hour or so later found you walking through the streets of Wyndon, following behind Sonia and Nessa. Though this wasn’t your favourite time of year, you couldn’t help but appreciate the beautiful decorations – impressive wreaths and garlands adorned with holly branches and large red bows strung between lampposts overhead, houses and storefronts trimmed with sparkling white lights seemed to glisten like stars in the falling snow. Even the classic Delfast carols, despite the fact that they usually annoyed you to no end, made you feel a soft pang of nostalgia as they were piped through speakers along the street. It was like a tacky Delfast card, the people all bundled up in knit hats and scarves, all smiles and laughter as children threw snowballs and chased their Pokemon around in the snowdrifts lining the streets.

“Isn’t this romantic?” Sonia called over her shoulder to you, a big smile on her face, “It’s like being in a movie!”

You nodded, your closed fists twitching in your pockets as Nessa took Sonia’s hand. Romantic was definitely a word for it, though it might’ve not been the right word you were looking for. It would be way more romantic if you had a certain someone to share it with…

You silenced your trailing thoughts as your little group made their way to Carnation Park, where an expansive Delfest market was taking place. Vendors selling their homemade wares were all smiles as you walked by amongst the crowds of shoppers and park-goers. You admired the variety of handmade goods as you passed: knit scarves and scented candles, hats with Pokemon ears and embroidered pillowcases, and you were stunned at the sheer amount of baked goods. Cookies and cakes and sweet buns and candy - you almost paused when a particularly delicious smell caught your attention: freshly baked cinnamon buns, your one weakness. You couldn’t stop, otherwise you would lose your friends, but you made a mental note of where the cinnamon bun stand was located. Hopefully it would still be open when it was time to leave.

Soon Sonia stopped under a tall oak tree, alit with twinkling lights. She pulled out her Rotom-phone, tapping the screen with her mittened fingers.

“Looks like we still have some time before the migration reaches Wyndon!” she announced as you approached, reaching for her overstuffed bag, “Plenty of time to work on my thesis for the cause of this event!”

Nessa was pulling a warm blanket out of her bag, rolling her eyes as she pulled it around her shoulders.

“Looks like this might be a bit of a wait,” she said to you with an apologetic look on her face, “If you want to go find something to eat or something, we’ll be here.”

You smiled back at her. You were just as used to Sonia’s overachieving antics as Nessa by now, and the idea of going off on your own in this expansive park seemed… intimidating.

“I’m okay to hang out here for a bit—”

But the eyebrow raise Nessa shot you made you stall.

_Ah._

“Looks as if Raihan is down by the riverside, if you want to go say hi,” she said, waving her phone at you with a pointed look.

You took the phone, glancing at the Pikagram story Raihan’s been updating of him and Leon down by a body of water. Looks as if Hop was with them, too.

You tossed Nessa’s phone back at her.

“I’ll see you guys in a bit,” you tell her, shooting her a grin, “Try not to have too much fun while I’m gone.”

Nessa winked before sitting next to Sonia, who was too busy writing notes in her book and missed the entire exchange.

... 

Using the location Raihan’s been updating his Pika-story with, you headed off up the trail, following the signs on glowing streetlamps. You had to knock snow off more than one sign, the thick flakes were still falling hard around you. As much as Delfast gave you that sinking feeling, you did truly love the winter. You couldn’t help but throw your head back and stick your tongue out, catching a few icy flakes.

You giggled to yourself, stopping in your tracks when a group of children ran past you, dragging wooden sleds behind them.

 _I guess this is alright_ , you decided, smiling as one kid struggled to pull his sled, his Silicobra perched quite happily atop the wooden plank as the boy called for his friends to wait up.

Soon, you reached the river, walking over the arched wooden bridge that stretched across. This was the location listed on your phone, but Pikagram was a little too vague and didn’t tell you exactly where you needed to go. Shrugging, you tucked your phone in your pocket.

You crossed your arms and rested your elbows on the railing in front of you. The Delfast music had faded away, the only noise you could hear was the sounds of rushing water below your feet.

You amused yourself by blowing out puffs of air at the snowflakes falling in front of you. You weren’t sure of what to do from here, but having this moment to yourself was… peaceful.

“Well, well, look who it is!”

You jumped at the sudden voice; your peaceful moment ruined as you whipped around. But no one was nearby. If this was some sort of prank…

Laughter sounded from behind you again.

“Down here, genius!”

Whipping around again, you leaned over the edge of the railing, using the lowest planks as a step to hoist yourself higher.

It was Raihan, shooting you a cheeky grin and waving from below the bridge. He was wearing a bright orange beanie and a navy-blue parka in lieu of his favourite hoodie and headband. Understandable, given how cold it was out there.

“There you are!” you called to him, “I was looking for you!”

“I got the message,” Raihan called back, waving his phone at you.

You grin. Nessa, of course.

“Come on down, we got a fire going and everything!” Raihan said, motioning you to join him.

You hop off the railing and hurry off the bridge, circling around the railing and down the slope. Raihan offered his hand, and you graciously took it as you carefully made your way down the slippery ravine. Once you reached the bottom, you saw Leon’s Charizard curled up underneath the bridge, sheltering its trainer around a decently sized fire.

Leon stood as you approached. You smile and wave as he jogged up to meet you, his long hair tied back and hidden underneath a red knit hat, the braided ends bouncing in the air with each step he took.

“I was wondering who Raihan was yelling at,” he said with a grin as he and you exchanged a high-five, “Hop will be chuffed to see you!”

“Is he here?” You couldn’t help your voice from raising an octave in excitement. Hop was as good as an honorary younger brother to you, and you only wished you remembered to pick him up a little something as a gift.

“Yeah, he should be down by the wa..ter…” Leon’s voice trailed off as he turned quickly and sped back towards his Charizard.

You looked at Raihan quizzically. He let out a laugh.

“We’re shiny-hunting Quillfish,” he explained, “Hop’s idea. He must’ve heard rumors of there being one spotted in the area because it was all he would talk about.”

You nodded as the two of you approached Charizard. You patted the Fire Pokemon’s flank, and it tossed its head and puffed out smoke in greeting.

“Hop!” Leon was calling out downstream, “Guess who’s here?”

“One sec!” You heard Hop’s voice sound of before you saw his dark hair pop up over the riverbank. His eyes lit up moreso than usual when he saw you, which in itself was impressive, given how much they seemed to glow on a daily basis.

“It’s you!” he practically yelled, hoisting himself up the bank and crashing into you to give you a big hug.

You laughed, hugging him tight. “You only saw me a few days ago,” you said warmly, squeezing the boy’s shoulders before letting him go.

“I know, but it’s Delfest!” he said, smiling as he bounced on his toes, “It’s my most favourite time of year and I really want to spend it with people I really care about, even though I’m spending the night with Leon here in Wyndon tonight but then we’re both going home to Postwick tomorrow to see Mom and—”

You give Leon a look over Hop’s rambling bounces.

“How much sugar has he had tonight?”

Leon looked sheepish as Raihan snickered next to him.

“Maybe a bit more than usual,” the man admitted, grinning as you shook your head, “but it’s Delfest and he never really gets to stay with me anymore, so I figured it’d be okay to spoil him a bit.”

You sighed as Hop bounded back down the bank to where he had a fishing pole waiting.

“I mean, I guess he’s gonna be your problem once the evening’s over.”

Leon laughed.

“I mean, my plan was that, if I gave him enough sugar now, by the time we get back to my flat he’ll just crash and fall right to sleep,” he said, grinning.

You nodded approvingly as Raihan slapped his hand on to Leon’s shoulder.

“Always thinking three steps ahead, this one!”

You made your way towards Charizard’s fire, making yourself as comfortable as you could sitting on the cold ground, Leon leaning back against his Charizard’s flank. The two of you watched as Raihan started pacing by the fire, stopping only to stamp his feet every few minutes.

“You okay?” you asked him.

“He’s just cold,” Leon said, rolling his eyes, “For someone who claims to adapt to any weather situation, he sure turns into a big baby whenever it snows.”

“At least I can still feel my toes when it’s raining!” Raihan piped up, stopping his pacing to glare at you and Leon as you snickered.

He sighed, taking a few steps over and plopping himself down next to Leon.

“Just wish Piers would get here sooner with those drinks,” he muttered.

You inhale sharply.

“Piers was here?”

Raihan nodded, glancing at his phone.

“He left to get some warm drinks, like, forever ago.”

“It’s only been 10 minutes,” Leon elbowed his friend’s arm, “It’s not like he just up and went home without telling anyone.”

“Oh my Arceus, he totally would, too!” Raihan pulled out his phone and began texting.

You couldn’t help but clench the straps of your bag tighter as you stared into the fire. You just missed him by a few minutes, of course. You were about to curse your rotten luck when suddenly Hop sprung up from the riverside and bounded over.

“Is Piers back yet? I’m parched!”

“Don’t go writin’ me an elegy or anythin’, ya big babies.”

Everyone’s heads perked up at the sound of a new voice carrying from upstream (though your reason was most likely very different from everyone else’s); Piers was approaching with a tray of disposable cups, adorned with a black knit beanie over his wild hair and a smirk on his face.

Both Hop and Raihan let out a cry in greeting, rising to meet Piers.

“Oh, hey, Piers! Check out who we fished out of the river!” Raihan grinned as he took a cup from Piers’ hands, jerking his thumb in your direction.

Piers must’ve taken a second to process what Raihan had just said, because you could visibly see shock and horror grow on his face as he following Raihan’s thumb to meet your gaze.

“W-what?” he stammered, his voice cracking.

“He’s joking!” Leon laughed, also rising to collect his beverage from the floundering singer, “Don’t listen to him.”

Raihan made a face at Leon, and swiftly received a sharp elbow to the side from Piers.

“Yer such a twat sometimes, mate.”

“Language, Piers!” Leon warned him, giving a pointed look towards Hop who thankfully was a little too engulfed in his hot chocolate.

Leon and Raihan went along with Hop to the riverside, all with hot chocolates in tow. Piers grumbled something inaudibly before stalking over and plopping down by the fire close to you.

“Hey,” you said gently, unable to keep a smile forming on your face as your cheeks grew warm.

Piers turned to you, his annoyed look melting away.

“Hi,” he said, before pausing. He squinted at you, causing your heart to freeze. Was there something on your face?

You were about to say something before Piers reached over, giving your arm a poke.

“What-?”

“They didn’t actually fish ya outta the water, right?” he asked you.

You were stunned for all of a second before you let out a giggle.

“Nah, I swam here of my own free will,” you said, shooting him a grin, “Sweet of you to be concerned, though.”

Piers clicked his tongue, unable to keep himself from smiling.

“Cheeky,” he muttered before adjusting his position.


	3. Chapter 3

The two of you sat by the fire in comfortable silence for a few moments. You tried to see what the others were up to, but you didn’t want to leave the warmth of Charizard’s fire. Or the company of the one person you wanted to see more than anything tonight, but that’s just a minor detail.

You sighed, bringing your scarf closer around you. You needed to build up the courage to say something to Piers, let alone give him the little gift that kept nudging against your hip. You must’ve opened and closed your mouth numerous times by now; it’s a good thing you had your scarf as high as you did, otherwise Piers would start thinking you were part Magikarp.

He beat you to the punch, though.

“Kinda wish ya told me you were gonna be here,” Piers muttered, his eyes not leaving the fire, “I woulda picked ya up a hot drink, too.”

You turned to him, touched by his words.

“That’s okay.”

He glanced over at you for a moment before you both turned back to the fire.

Damn your inability to carry on a conversation.

Suddenly, you had an idea. You clenched your fists tight and opened your mouth, praying for your voice to not shake.

“I mean, the night’s still young.”

Piers looked at you. Were you blushing? Probably.

“Why don’t we go get one, then?” you asked him, summoning all of your determination to hold his gaze, “A drink, I mean.”

You looked Piers in the eye for a solid three seconds before he pushed himself up to his feet.

“Fine by me,” he said, wiping off his jeans, “‘s not like we were doin’ anythin’ productive here, anyway.”

Wait, what?

You snapped out of your stunned state when you realized he was holding out his hand.

“Let’s get this show on the road, then, yeah?” he said, giving you that cocky grin of his that you loved so much.

Positive that your face was pink as a Pecha berry by now, you took his hand and allowed Piers to hoist you to your feet. You quickly called out where you were going to Raihan and Leon down below, ignoring the look that Raihan gave you as you turned away, heading upstream to follow Piers up the ravine.

He offered his hand once more as the two of you scrambled up the icy slope, you taking it with a small smile. Good Arceus, you really hoped he couldn’t hear how loud your heartbeat was.

He let go of you when you reached the top of the slope, jamming his hand into his jacket pockets.

“What’re ya cravin?” he asked, not making eye contact.

You clenched your now free hand around the strap of your bag again. _You?_ You wanted to say, but that would surely bring disaster to your so-far lovely evening.

“Let’s head towards that market by the park gate,” you suggested, “There were so many delicious-smelling things there.”

Piers looked at you. You couldn’t help but notice how the tip of his nose was pink in the cold winter air, and it took all of you strength not to stand on your tiptoes and give it a kiss.

“I suppose…” he said, not sounding entirely convinced.

“O-or, I mean, we could go somewhere you like!” You said hastily, “I’m not picky!”

You hated how high your voice got when you were flustered.

Piers cocked his head, watching you for a moment before shrugging.

“I mean, it’s on the way. We can head that direction if ya want.”

And he was off, his long legs making easy headway in the growing snowdrifts.

You practically squeak as you gathered your remaining courage and followed him through the snow. The two of you walked in silence, but it steadily grew less awkward as you went. You were just so enamored with the falling snow, you couldn’t stop yourself from tossing your head back to catch more flakes on your tongue.

You were standing in the middle of the path mouth agape when you suddenly heard Piers chuckle from up ahead. When you brought your attention from the sky back to him, he grinned at you.

“Ya look like an Obstagoon with yer tongue out like that,” he said.

You made a face at him.

“Coming from you, I’d say that’s a compliment!” you retorted, your heart skipping when Piers laughed once more.

Your chest grew warm as you sped up to match his pace. Your little remark seemed to give you a little confidence boost, and you decided to try talking to him again.

“So, you got any plans for Delfest?”

Piers shrugged. “Not overly. Marnie’s out doin’ some last minute shoppin’ with Gloria, but as soon as she’s done, we’re gonna head back home.”

You saddened slightly at the news of Piers leaving so soon, but you prompted him again.

“Do you two usually do something together the day of?”

“Nah, it’s a chill day at our place. It’s just the two of us, so we like to keep things mellow,” Piers had a fond look on his face as he spoke, “it’s usually a pajamas-all-day, eat-as-much-junk-food-as-ya-want kinda shindig.”

You smiled. “That sounds so nice, though. I can tell you’re looking forward to it.”

Piers shrugged again, but a lopsided smirk crept up on his face.

You couldn’t help smiling back. The little package in your bag kept bumping against your leg as you walked, constantly reminding you to act soon, but Piers spoke again before you could think about it.

“What about you? Got anythin’ excitin’ comin’ up?”

Aaaand there it was.

Your smile faded and you buried your nose into your thick scarf once more. That sinking feeling was back again. You sighed. You just had to be honest, it wasn’t that bad.

“Not really. It’s just me, so I’m just gonna get some takeout and watch a movie, probably.”

Piers turned to you; his face turned into a slight frown.

“Just you? What about yer family? Yer not goin’ back to Sinnoh at all?”

You were touched that he remembered you were from Sinnoh, but you shrugged.

“They’re too busy for me. Always have been.”

Piers’ frown deepened.

“That sucks,” he mumbled.

You nodded.

“I mean, I know it’s not ideal, but I’ve just had to live with it—”

But you were interrupted by a hand in your shoulder. Piers turned you so you were facing each other head on. Piers’ icy blue eyes seemed to pour into yours, and you thought you were going to lose strength in your knees when he spoke to you in a quiet, earnest tone you’ve never heard him use before.

“Look, I know we’re not super close and all, but if ya need anyone to talk with, or vent to, I’m always available, alright?”

You give a tiny nod, unable to stop staring at his eyes.

“I mean, hell, I’m probably one of the best people to talk to about shitty family issues,” Piers told you, shooting you a sad little smile before releasing your shoulder and turning to follow the path again.

You snapped out of your trance at the sight of him walking ahead and jogged to catch up.

“That’s… that’s really sweet of you, Piers,” you told him, your voice barely above a whisper. You pull your scarf down enough to shoot him a genuine smile. “Thank you.”

Piers leaned over, giving your arm a gentle nudge with his own.

“Think nothin’ of it, yeah? We lonely types gotta stick together sometimes, otherwise we’re gonna get lost.”

You blinked.

“That’s awfully profound of you,” you said.

Piers shrugged, grinning at you again.

“I mean, I am a songwriter for a livin’.”

You laughed. “I suppose that’s true.”

You walked together in silence for a few moments, barely an arms width apart.

“Plus,” Piers piped up, “if yer ever in a spot and need to unleash some pent-up rage, Spikemuth’s got loads of cardboard boxes ya can punch around, if ya want.”

You blinked at him, but he keeps his gaze straight ahead. It’s not exactly inviting you over, but hey, you’d take what you’d get.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” you tell him, smiling.

Soon you and Piers made it to the Delfest market. The familiar old songs seemed to taunt you, singing about “walking through a wonderland with your true love” and “kiss her under the mistletoe” as you and Piers swerved through groups of people, your arm grazing his every so often. You really hoped your face wasn’t as red as you thought it was, especially since a lot of people were recognizing Piers. Especially since these same people were looking at you, probably wondering why a nobody no one’s ever heard of was walking with one of their beloved (ex) gym leaders. You found yourself staring at the ground a lot to avoid eye contact.

Suddenly Piers’ hand nudged your own. You jolted when he leaned in to murmur in your ear.

“Don’t worry about them. Keep your eyes up, I’m not gonna catch ya if ya trip again.”

It made you laugh, remembering how you and Piers first met.

“If my memory recalls, it wasn’t my fault that I tripped,” you said, giving him a cheeky look.

Piers chuckled, and the sound made you feel lighter. You kept your head high and your gaze straight ahead, and already it seemed like people weren’t staring as much as you thought.

The familiar scent of cinnamon buns wafted towards you once more, and this time it stopped you in your tracks. You hadn’t eaten in some time, and the smell of those sweet, sticky buns made your stomach rumble and your mouth water. Maybe you had time for just one…

_Oh, crap!_ You thought as you remember why you were walking this way. You hurried on ahead to catch up to Piers, who had turned and was watching you approach with a raised eyebrow.

“Li’l distracted?” He asked you when you reached his side.

You smiled and shrugged.

“I haven’t eaten in a while,” you said, “it’s getting hard to resist temptation.”

Piers looked up at the cinnamon bun stand. You, already feeling bad for making him stop and wait for you once again, started on ahead.

“Um…” you heard Piers pipe up from behind you.

You turned to see him patting his pockets frantically. Your heart began to sink when he looked at you with wide eyes.

“I think I might’ve dropped my wallet,” he said nervously.

You gasped.

“Oh, crap! Let’s head back and look for it!”

Piers held out a hand to stop you. “You go on ahead, meet me by the café so you can warm up.”

You frowned at him.

“I should help you; it would go much faster with two sets of eyes—”

“I’ve got it under control, don’tcha worry,” Piers gave your shoulder a squeeze, smiling, “I’ll be quick, now will ya go and get warm?”

You couldn’t say no to him, but the guilt was eating away at your already empty stomach while you walked across the snowy street to the brightly lit café without him. Instead of going inside like Piers had told you to, you instead stood under the café’s striped awning, sheltering yourself from the still-falling snow. You kept your eyes on the park gate, watching for that familiar mess of monochrome hair through the passing crowds.

It didn’t take long before you saw Piers weave his way through the crowd. You were sure you were overthinking it, but it almost seemed as though Piers was trying to rush to get to you, his eyes finally meeting yours and a smile forming on his face. Damn, be still your beating heart.

You were about to step forward to meet him in the street when you noticed he was carrying a small white box in his hand.

“Thought I told ya to wait inside,” Piers chided you when he approached.

You ignored him, motioning towards the little box.

“What’s this? Did you find your wallet?”

Piers, apparently forgetting about the box in his hand, quickly held it out towards you.

“Here,” he said curtly.

You glanced up at his face, but he wouldn’t meet your eyes.

Suspicious now, you took the small box from him, unmoving as he jammed his now empty hands into his pockets.

“Open it already, would ya?” Piers muttered, still glancing to the side to avoid your gaze.

You smiled, peeling the tape off the lid of the box ever so slowly, just to see Piers squirm. He finally looked at you, shooting you a dirty look as you carefully open the box painstakingly slow.

Your laughter ceased when the incredible smells of cinnamon and butter waft up to your nose, and you look down at the massive, glistening cinnamon bun boxed so nicely in your hands.

“…Oh my Arceus,” you gaped, “Did…did you…?”

You looked at Piers again, his eyes finally meeting yours with a sheepish glance.

You blinked. It suddenly all clicked in your head.

“You never lost your wallet, did you?” you asked him.

Piers shrugged, not saying anything.

Your heart surged, and it took all of your strength to not throw your arms around his neck. Instead, you reach out, giving his elbow a squeeze.

“Thank you, Piers,” you tell him, giving him another genuine smile. You let your thumb stroke the fabric of Piers’ coat once before you pulled your hand away.

This time it was unmistakable: Piers definitely blushed in the soft streetlight, and even though you didn’t think your affection for the man could grow any deeper, it seemed as though this Delfest magic was trying its darnedest to prove you wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

Sometime later found you and Piers sitting on a park bench, warm drinks in hand as you dove into your cinnamon-y treat. Rather, Piers held your drink so you could use both hands to cut your plastic knife into the massive bun. You didn’t even care about the fact that you were moments away from making a big mess of yourself in front of the man you loved, you just wanted that sweet, sweet bun in your mouth as soon as you could.

Piers watched as you scooped that first piece into your mouth, smirking as you gave a pleased little wiggle.

“That good, huh?” he asked.

You nodded; mouth still full. You cut off another little piece and held it out to him.

“Try some!” you said after swallowing.

Piers looked from you to the fork you were holding out at him, shrugged, and leaned forward. Before you could react, he wrapped his lips around the fork still in your hands, taking the piece of bun you offered him.

You shrieked internally as he leant back in his seat, chewing thoughtfully.

“Good, right?” You said to him, your voice cracking a little as your brain struggled to process the act that had just occurred in front of you. Never in your wildest dreams did you ever expect to have Piers eating off of your own fork like that! It was just like those cheesy comics you used to read as a kid: freaking out over _“an indirect kiss!”_ and feeling your _kokoro_ going _doki doki_. Who would’ve thought that those comics were so accurate?

Piers swallowed his bite.

“That’s mighty tasty,” he said, a blissful look in his eyes, “We might hafta go back for another before the night is over.”

_We?_

Your kokoro was doki doki-ing so hard right now.

You and Piers shared the remaining cinnamon bun on the park bench, people-watching the holiday goers and making up stories about their lives.

Piers jerked his head towards an older gent walking with a Roserade alongside him. “What about that guy?”

You watch the man walk for a moment, swallowing your piece of bun before answering.

“Has marriage problems,” you decided, “He and his wife constantly fight about his spending habits.”

Piers laughed.

“Now yer getting’ a little too real,” he said, nudging your arm.

You made a face at him.

“Fine, then,” you muttered, glancing around before your eyes settled on a blonde girl not too far from you, “Do one for her.”

Piers tapped his chin, watching the girl walk by.

“Wishes she wasn’t stuck at a dead-end job,” he said finally, “She wishes she could be a seamstress overseas instead.”

You snorted.

“A seamstress?”

Piers laughed, making you laugh as well.

This night could not be going any better. You couldn’t help but smile to yourself as you glanced over at the man sitting next to you once more. You don’t think you’ve ever seen him look this relaxed in a social setting; his arm was draped over the back of the bench and the other was propping up his face, elbow resting on the arm of the bench. And it was the look on his face that was the most telling: Piers just seemed so content. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was about to fall asleep.

“Wanna keep walking?” You asked, taking a sip of your drink.

Piers glanced at you and shrugged.

“I’m fine with chillin’ here if you are,” he replied, “‘s not like we got anywhere to be.”

You swallowed your drink with a nod.

“Sounds good to me.”

A few moments passed by, the two of you sitting in comfortable silence as the crowds thinned around you. It was getting a little late, and still no sign of the Delibird Migration. You checked your phone, but no new messages from Sonia or Nessa popped up.

 _Guess they’re still a little preoccupied,_ you figured.

Piers suddenly spoke up.

“Sorry that ya were stuck with me all night,” he said, with an unreadable expression.

You turned to him, frowning.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, ya came here with Sonia, didn’tcha?” He said, glancing at you before shifting his gaze in front of him again. He adjusted his position so that he was leaning forward, his elbows resting on his legs, “I get that ya probably prefer to be with her—”

“Piers, stop talking.”

He whipped his head to face you, his eyes wide with shock. You surprised even yourself with your tone, but you kept talking.

“I’ve loved spending this evening with you, really! It’s been really, really great. In fact…”

You hesitate for a moment before reaching for your bag. _Guess it’s now or never._

Piers stared at the little box in your hands as you held it out to him.

“What’s this?”

You held it out to him, blushing furiously.

“I’ve been waiting for the right time to give this to you,” you squeaked, “so here. Take it.”

Piers tentatively took the box from you, not breaking eye contact with you.

You swallowed and continued on.

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you better tonight, Piers. I was always hoping…” you stopped staring at him, glancing down at your feet as you began to nervously swirl your toes around in the snow, “that you and I could hang out together more. Spend some more time… _together_.”

The silence was deafening. You couldn’t stand to sit there under Piers’ scrutinizing gaze while you waited for his response to your little flood of a confession. You wondered if you were being too bold with your implications, and started to panic. Did you just ruin everything? It sure started to feel like it.

You toyed with the idea of getting up and leaving when you suddenly felt cool fingers wrap around yours. You looked at your hand to see Piers’ hand on yours, and brought your attention back up to his face.

Piers’ cheeks were about as red as yours when he gave you a hesitant smile.

“I’ve been wantin’ to hang out with ya more, too, if we’re bein’ honest,” he said, “You seem like a really cool person, an’…”

He wove his fingers between yours, holding your hand up and giving it a squeeze.

“…An’ I’d really like to get to know ya better.”

You didn’t say anything, completely stunned, but you smiled bigger than you ever thought you could.

“Maybe, if you want, we could start next week?” you quietly asked.

Piers cocked his head. “Depends…” he said. 

You frowned in confusion when he shot you another lopsided grin.

“What are ya doin’ for New Years?”

Your mouth hung open for a moment before you giggled.

“Spending it with you, I think,” you tell him, squeezing his hand back, “If you’ll have me,” you added with a wink.

Piers chuckled, shuffling closer to your side and wrapping his arm around your shoulders.

“Don’t think I’d rather be doin’ anythin’ else.”

Suddenly, the rising sound of excited voices arose around you. You and Piers looked up and around at the surge of people’s growing excitement, people starting to run around and heading deeper into the park.

“What the hell….?” Piers wondered out loud before you heard someone calling your name.

It was Sonia. She and Nessa squeezed through a throng of people, with Raihan, Leon, and Hop in tow.

“There you are!” Sonia said excitedly, waving her phone at you and bouncing on her heels, “Come on, the migration is starting!”

You allowed Hop to pull you up onto your feet, his excitement radiating off him like a neon light.

“We have to go find a spot!” he practically shouted.

You laughed, but didn’t let Hop pull you away just yet. You turned to see Raihan and Leon hurriedly whispering to Piers, who was now also standing with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders hunched. You were about to narrow your eyes when Piers nodded and Leon whooped, and Raihan threw his arm around Piers’ shoulder and gave him a squeeze.

“Told ya, mate!” Raihan said to him, turning to face you and giving you a big grin.

You smiled back. You could see how red Piers was when he turned to face you again, bashfully keeping his eyes on his feet when he approached your side. You gave him a little nudge with your shoulder to get his attention, shooting him a little reassuring smile when he glanced at you. He smiled back, reaching for your hand and giving it another little squeeze.

Moments later found you and your little group were standing in a clearing, staring up at the sky. Leon had to keep his hands on Hop’s shoulders to keep him from literally bouncing, but you shouldn’t help but notice how close Raihan was standing to Leon’s shoulder. Your eyes widen a smidge at the soft look on Raihan’s face as he glanced over at Leon, and though you were standing behind the shorter man, you could tell that he was looking at Raihan with equal gentleness.

Feeling like you were intruding on something you weren’t supposed to see, you shifted your attention from the two men and glanced over at Nessa and Sonia. Their arms were around the other’s waist, and Nessa was resting her head on Sonia’s slightly taller shoulder.

You smiled around at your friends. For once, their subtle signs of affection didn’t make you feel irritated or lonely. After all, this might be the first night that you didn’t have a reason to be lonely, wasn’t it?

Your turned to see Piers approaching you, a nervous smile on his face as he brought what remained of your forgotten drinks. You giggled, taking your barely-warm cup from his hand. Once his hand was free, you offered him yours.

Piers took your hand with great enthusiasm, weaving his fingers between yours as he took his place next to you. Your heart pounded when you noted how nicely your hand fit in his.

A few cheers suddenly sounded out as a few Delibirds soared overhead, and soon the sky was practically blotted out with the bodies of bright red Flying Pokemon. A universal noise of exclaimed awe murmured through the crowds of people, and children began shrieking with joy as Delibirds began dropping their little wrapped gifts to the people below.

You had never really participated in the Delibird Migration before, always preferring to stay home, but the mood was infectious. You couldn’t help but grin as the little packages plopped into the snow around you, bursting out laughing with the others as a little gift bounced off of Raihan’s head.

Feeling him suddenly release your hand, you turned to see Piers crouched, picking up a small package that hand landed next to him. You smiled at him as he stood, package in hand.

“Aren’t you supposed to wait until the morning to open the Delibird’s gift?” You asked him teasingly.

To your surprise, Piers blushed again.

“Actually,” he mumbled, “this one’s not from the Delibirds.”

And he held the package out to you.

You blinked. Sure enough, it wasn’t wrapped in tree leaves and bark like a normal Delibird gift. This was a little box, with white wrapping and a bright pink ribbon.

You gaped at Piers.

“F-for me?”

He nodded, smiling again.

“You givin’ me your gift earlier helped give me the courage to give ya yours,” he said, pulling the little package you had given him earlier out of his pocket.

You smiled. You gently took the box from Piers’ hand.

“Wanna open them at the same time?” You asked him.

Piers grinned, tilting his head mischievously.

“I gotta better idea,” he said, reaching over and wrapping his arm around your shoulders, “How about ya come over tomorrow and have a real Delfest mornin’ with Marnie an’ me, an’ we can open ‘em then?”

You froze, stunned. A real Delfest? With other people? Real, actual people?

You felt tears form in your eyes and couldn’t stop yourself from throwing your arms around Piers’ neck, clutching him tightly. You choked out a sob when you felt his arms wrap around your waist, hugging you back. This definitely seemed too good to be true. But it was really happening. This was happening, and you couldn’t have been more elated.

Earlier today, this all would have been like a dream. To be caught up in the Delfest celebrations, all giddy like a bad tv commercial – why, the very idea was laughable. You knew better than this, didn’t you? Delfest brought nothing but loneliness and heartbreak for you.

But as Piers released you with a loving look in his eyes, and Sonia wrapped you in her own hug and Nessa pressed a gentle kiss to your cheek, and as Hop tossed his arms around your waist and squeezed, you couldn’t help but think that, just maybe, Delfest miracles were indeed a thing after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy 2021 to my fellow Piers simps <3
> 
> I honestly started writing this like, two weeks before Christmas. But then work happened (yay retail), then the holidays, then my husband and I MOVED and now I feel like this stupid fic is ready and there's no way in hell I'm waiting until next year.
> 
> Just call me for all your cheesy hallmark christmas movie plot needs


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